Ineos have plenty to think about this summer as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co look to get Manchester United back on track.
Manchester United endured a difficult campaign but actually ended the season on a real high with three wins in a row.
Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion were beaten in the Premier League before United stunned many by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The summer is now on the horizon and that FA Cup victory has given Ineos a real decision to make over Erik ten Hag’s future.
The United boss has been under pressure for months but has given himself a chance of saving his job in the Old Trafford dugout.
Ineos will need to come to a a decision quickly but they have been forced into making another managerial decision over in France.
Ineos set to make managerial decision
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co own Ligue 1 side Nice and they have been plunged into managerial issues.
Italian coach Francesco Farioli was a rather bold appointment for Nice a year ago; Roberto De Zerbi’s former goalkeeping coach had shown promise as a manager in Turkey but a move to Nice felt like a major step up.
Ratcliffe’s faith paid off as Farioli guided Nice to a fifth-place finish – but Farioli’s potential has now seen him leave the club.
Ajax have pounced to land Farioli, ironically turning to an Ineos coach to try and bring back the good times of the Ten Hag era.
Ineos have therefore been forced to consider a new Nice boss alongside potentially making a change at United.
A replacement for Farioli has now been found though with Lens boss Franck Haise confirming that he will be heading to Nice.
Haise guided Lens into the Champions League last season and Ineos will be looking for him to bring similar success to Nice.
Boxing off a new Nice boss before making a final decision on Ten Hag will be a real boost for Ineos, who must now move from one managerial decision to another.
Having to juggle both situations at the asme time would have been tricky, so Ratcliffe will be delighted to have Haise secured; now it’s a case of full focus on United.
New Nice boss wanted Manchester United’s Raphael Varane
The news of Haise’s move to Nice does actually impact one outgoing Manchester United player.
Defender Raphael Varane will be leaving United this summer as his contract comes to an end, three years after joining from Real Madrid.
It’s unclear where Varane will be heading next, but an emotional move back to France with Lens had been floated.
Varane started out in the Lens youth ranks, spending nine years at the club in total whilst making 24 first-team appearances.
Lens fans were barely able to savour Varane’s potential as he was quickly whisked off to Real Madrid to become a Galactico-in-waiting.
Now 31 and with four Champions Leagues to his name, Varane may fancy returning to where it all started.
Haise even admitted just last week that he would be interested in bringing Varane to Lens – only to then leave for Nice.
“Of course, Varane interests me with his qualities as a player, as a leader and with his human qualities: what he represents and what he is capable of giving,” said Haise. “If there was an opportunity (to sign Varane) I would be the happiest coach,” he added.
Maybe Lens will still try and sign Varane, offering him an emotional return home after leaving United.
That would surely need the go-ahead from the new Lens boss though and it’s unclear just how long it will take to replace Haise.
Haise’s move even raises the possibility of him wanting to bring Varane to Nice, moving him from one Ineos club to another.
That seems unlikely given that Ineos prefer to sign young players, but Haise’s admiration may just make a move possible.
Varane is left waiting to find out whether Lens still want him with Haise gone, with this latest Ineos move potentially leaving the defender in limbo.